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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Sometimes we "live fire" cookers do things on the grill for the same reason that canines lick their nether regions.....because we can. Case in point, the Bacon Explosion that has been all over the interwebs. Why would you wrap bacon in sausage then wrap it in bacon and smoke it? Because we can.

I love grilling, smoking, and roasting things on my Big Green Egg, but I have to admit that sometimes I question, "Why?" when approaching a recipe.

Actually all things considered equal, I love cooking with live fire. So as long as cooking it by fire doesn't distract from the dish, I guess the question is, "Why not?"

Cooking by fire should be considered like any other ingredient. If or how much of it you add to the dish can contribute to or distract from the final product.

Tonight was a perfect example of the "adding to" and how live fire can really complete a dish! The hint of char sweetened the sugars in the peppers, tomato and topping sauce. You could smell the difference as they came off the cooker and the taste was rich.

Top with remaining cheese and cook another 15 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

And now, the footage. Some of the lead characters.TIP: Steep the saffron threads in 1/4 cup of hot water (from the 1 3/4 c water) before making the rice. Get the remaining water boiling, add the rice, and then this last 1/4 cup. That way you are not boiling out all the flavor of saffron.Over stuff the peppers, they will cook down some.My favorite shot of the night. That's just purdy!While these would work in an oven, the subtle smokiness that these picked up was immaculate. It was definitely worth doing these on the grill.My mom's stuffed bell peppers where one of my favorite meals as a kid. I've never been able to get that exact same "wow factor". Tonight, I surpassed it.In my mom's defense....she never had a Big Green Egg :)

These look awesome and man you've really got the food porn photography down to a science! I've still been clicking back just to look at the Beef Fillet with Gorgonzola Sauce from the last entry. Your food is a feast for the eyes and almost as satisfying as sitting down to eat it - Ok, I'm lying, nothing could be as satisfying as eating it, but you are really that good!

But more to the point. You use chorizo a lot. I have trouble buying chorizo. My gut tells me there must be all kinds. Do you know the differences? I am expecially perplexed by the fact that the texture can vary so wildly between some kinds which are very loose and liquid, all the way to very hard like salami. I am sure it has to do with curing... but would love to know more. GREG